Roberts faces GOP foe in Senate re-election bid

TOPEKA  U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, a power in Kansas politics for decades, faces a challenge in the Republican primary from a Kansas City-area doctor who's never run for office but has gained attention in conservative and tea party circles for his vocal criticism of the federal health care overhaul.

Milton Wolf, a 42-year-old Leawood radiologist, announced Tuesday that he intends to run against Roberts, who's seeking a fourth six-year term in the Senate.

Roberts also has been a strong critic of the 2010 health care law championed by President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

Wolf's campaign issued a statement ahead of his formal announcement, saying the nation is "threatened by the politicians in Washington."

"I'm here today to fight for our Constitution and the divinely-inspired American idea of individual liberty, limited government and free enterprise," Wolf said in the statement. "I'm here today to reclaim the American Dream for all Kansans and all Americans."

Roberts, 77, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, after serving 16 years in the House, representing the sprawling 1st District of western and central Kansas. He was an aide to the Republican who held the House seat before him, and his career in Washington began in 1969.

No Democrat has publicly announced plans to run for Roberts' seat.

Wolf's challenge could highlight divisions playing out nationally among tea party conservatives and others in the Republican Party. He launched his campaign Tuesday at the Ritz Charles reception hall in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park and promised in his statement beforehand to fight to repeal the health care law and to oppose any increase in the federal government's debt ceiling.

However, Roberts has drawn support throughout his career from all factions within the state GOP. Gov. Sam Brownback and fellow Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran are his campaign's honorary chairmen, and he's been endorsed by every member of the state's all GOP-congressional delegation, including perhaps its most conservative member, 1st District Rep. Tim Huelskamp, a tea party favorite.

Roberts has been amassing public endorsements from Republican officials for weeks, and his campaign ended June with nearly $1.5 million in cash on hand. His re-election campaign also noted Tuesday that he's consistently received strong ratings from conservative, anti-abortion and gun rights groups.

Leroy Towns, Roberts' executive campaign manager, said it would be "really difficult" for a primary challenger to be more conservative than the senator.

Wolf also has received attention nationally because he and his campaign describe him as a second cousin, once removed, to the president. His campaign said Tuesday that Wolf's mother and Obama's maternal grandmother were cousins.

This is about pushing Roberts even further to the right. It's an example of the paranoia that the Koch Bros and other creators of the TeaParty have instilled in all Republicans (and even some Democrats in conservative districts) that unless they toe the fascist line, they'll get primary opposition.

"U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, a power in Kansas politics for decades, faces a challenge in the Republican primary from a Kansas City-area doctor who's never run for office but has gained attention in conservative and tea party circles for his vocal criticism of the federal health care overhaul.

"I'm here today to fight for our Constitution and the divinely-inspired American idea of individual liberty, limited government and free enterprise," Wolf said in the statement. "I'm here today to reclaim the American Dream for all Kansans and all Americans."

This guy Wolf is definitely is a right wing ALEC Party worshipper. Out there in left field for sure. My best guess is Brownback and Tim Huelskamp will support this new nut case.

Radiologists are the "doctors" who, even though you don't make any appointment with them, have conned their way into the medical industrial dollar volcano...they look at your x-rays and say what's in them...like you need a super high paid specialist for this....a joke...an expensive joke...one of the reasons Americans pay more by far the highest medical costs in the world for maybe the 17th best outcomes. This fraud only wants to protect his personal industry regulated ability to live in a mansion at your expense. If he's for freedom and liberty, ask him, does he back the full deregulation of the medical industrial complex. Bet not.

Wow! A primary opponent that's attacking Roberts from the right? Is this guy really a Doctor, or does he just play one whenever he's committed? With no opposition either way from a Democratic candidate I'm switching parties to vote against this loon in the primary. Whatever candidate we put up for SOS could not be worse than having this guy win a Senate seat.

Roberts couldn't find Kansas on a map. Get serious, he has sat there for 18 years and he is 77 and he wants another 6 years. Get serious Kansas. Time to retire. By the way, Jerry Moron, is right behind Roberts in milking the taxpayers and kissing a.. of the Koch bros.

I am sick of this stuff. good grief, do we have to elect either of these two? They are against ACA but they have no alternative. Where is their heads? If you repeal a good law you have to have something better. How foolish are repugs. I am sick of their stuopid actions. They would rather hurt the country than give up to Obama. For once, Obama is right!!!!